Co-ax patch panel and insulative housing members therefor



1967 w. L. SCHUMACHER 3,358,262

O-AX PATCH PANEL AND INSULATIVE HOUSING MEMBERS THEREFOR Filed Oct. 14, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Uuuan LuoLow Smunmnuz Dec. 12, 1967 w. L. SCHUMACHER 3,353,262

CO-AX PATCH PANEL AND INSULATIVE HOUSING MEMBERS THEREFOR Filed Oct. 14, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. BSIJJILLIAM um.ow ScHumm I M Wnv Y/W United States Patent Ofiice 3,358,262 Patented Dec. 12, 1967 3,358,262 (JG-AX PATCH PANEL AND INSULATIVE HOUSING MEMBERS THEREFGR William Ludlow Sehumacher, Camp Hill, Pa, assignor to AMP incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa. Filed Oct. 14, 1965, Ser. No. 495,880 8 Claims. (Cl. 339-91) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A dielectric housing member comprises a tubular element provided with flange and projection means for securing the housing member in an opening of a panel member, means provided by the tubular element and an electrical connector for securing the electrical connector in the tubular element, and stiffly-flexible latching arms disposed in openings in the tubular element with one end integral therewith and another end free, the free ends engaging a section of another electrical connector when mated with the housed electrical connector thereby latching it in its mated condition.

This invention relates to a co-ax patch panel and an insulative housing member and more particularly to an insulative housing member mountable within the panel and for receiving an electrical connector therein.

In the field of co-ax patch panels, the co-ax jack connectors of the patch panels are threadably secured in openings therein. The inner or rear ends of the jack connectors generally have an intermediate connector to connect coaxial leads to the jack connectors and to allow the leads to be moved at random to dilferent jack connectors as desired. The co-ax jack connectors of the existing co-ax patch panels are costly and the cost is increased with regard to the provision of the intermediate connector at the inner ends of the jack connectors.

An object of the present invention is the provision of co-ax patch panels that are simple in construction and economical.

Another object of the invention is to provide co-ax patch panels having insertable insulative housing members to removably carry co-ax jack connectors or the like.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an insulative housing member to carry connector members and to be removably insertable within a panel.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an insulative housing member to removably carry one element of a connector and to latch another element of the connector within the housing member.

Other objects and attainments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which there are shown and described illustrative embodiments of the invention; it is to be understood, however, that these embodiments are not intended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention but are given for purposes of illustration in order that other skflled in the art may fully understand the invention and the principles thereof and the manner of applying it in practical use so that they may be modify it in various forms, each as may be best suited to the conditions of a particular use.

The foregoing objects are achieved by means of a panel member having openings therein, insulative housing members insertable in the openings, each housing member including a flange and projections to secure the housing member in its opening, an inner annular shoulder to secure a connector element within the housing member, and stiffiy-fiexible latching arms on the housin member for latchingly engaging another connector element matable with the above-mentioned connector element. The housing member includes guide means to guide the other connector element into mating engagement with the connector element secured within the housing member.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a broken front elevational view of a panel member for use as a wax patch panel;

FIGURE 2 is a view taken along lines 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective exploded view of the insulative housing member and matable connector elements exploded therefrom;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional View similar to FIGURE 3 but with the insulative housing member in place in the panel member;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 but with the connector elements in place Within the insulative housing member;

FIGURE 6 is a View taken along lines 6-6 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 7 is a view taken along lines 77 of FIGURE 6.

Turning now to the drawings, a panel member P which is made of a suitable material such as, for example, aluminum or dielectric material, has aligned openings 1 therein. Insulative housing members H are removably mounted within openings 1. Recesses 2 are located in panel member P in order to mount the panel member to a cabinet or suitable mounting means.

Insulative housing member H is preferably molded in accordance with conventional molding techniques from a suitable stitfiy-fiexible dielectric material such as for example, nylon, polypropylene, etc. Insulative housing member H comprises a tubular element 3 having an annular shoulder 4 at one end delimiting an opening 5 therein. A flange 6 is located at the other end of tubular element 3 and a beveled aperture 7 is located in the end of tubular element 3 containing flange 6. Stiilly-flexible sections 8 ex tend between the main portion of tubular element 3 and flange 6 and projections 9 are located on sections 8 and extend outwardly therefrom. Thus, flange 6 and projections 9 define a holding means to hold housing members H within openings 1 in panel member P. Sections 8 are capable of being bent in towards the axis of housing member H in order to free projections 9 of opening I so that the housing member can be removed from the panel member, if desired. The trailing edges of projections 9 are preferably beveled in order to facilitate the insertion of housing members H within openings 1 of the panel member.

Pnrcuately-shaped openings Ill are located between sections 8 and stiflly-flexible latching arms 11 are disposed within openings 143 and have one end extending outwardly from the main portion of tubular element 3 while the other ends are freely movable and include extensions 12 directed toward the axis of tubular element 3. Legs 13 extend outwardly from the rear surface of flange 6 in alignment with respective latching arms 11 and the free ends of legs 13 are slightly spaced from the free ends of arms 11. Legs 13 serve to properly guide a connector element within housing member H.

In assembly, the housing members H are inserted into respective openings 1 in panel member P with flanges 6 engaging one surface of the panel member while projections 9 engage the other side of the panel member in order to secure the housing members within the panel member. Coaxial connector elements 14 and 15 of the type disclosed in US Patent application Ser. No. 336,909, filed Jan. 10, 1964, now Patent No. 3,235,834 and assigned to the present assignee, are connectable within housing members I-I. Connector elements 14 and 15 are provided with recesses 16 between circumferential projections 17. A securing member 18 comprising a split ring is mounted in recess 16 of one of connector elements 14 or 15 as illustrated in FIGURES 3 through 5. Securing member 18, as illustrated, is disposed in recess 16 of female connector element 14. Leaf springs 19 extend outwardly from the split ring.

Female connector element 14 with securing member 18 in place thereon is inserted within housing member H until the rearward most projection 17 abuts against the end of the housing member whereupon leaf springs 19 engage annular shoulder 4 thereby securing connector element 14 in position within the housing member as illustrated in FIGURE 5.

Ascan be discerned, reawardmost projections 17 on connector elements 14 and 15 are larger in diameter than the forwardmost projections and serve as a stop member to limit the movement of connector elements 14 or 15 within the housing member.

After connector element 14 has been secured in position within the housing member, male connector element 15 is mated with connector element 14 within the housing member through aperture 7 as illustrated in FIGURE 5. As connector element 15 is being mated with connector element 14 within housing member H, innermost projection 17 on connector element 15 engages the leading beveled surfaces of extensions 12 of the latching arms 11 cansing the latching arms to be moved in an outward direction until projection 17 has moved to a position to allow extensions 12 to engage circumferential projection 17 to thereby latch connector element 15 imposition within housing member H through stiffly-fiexible latching arms 11. Latching arms 11 can also be defined as cantilever latching arms. Legs 13 are disposed opposite the free ends of'latching arms 11 in order to guide the connector element into matable position with the other connector element and this is especially true with respect to female connector element 14 when male connector element 15 is secured within housing member H via securing member 18 because, if legs 13 were not present, then female connector element 14 would encompass one of latching arms 11 if the connector element was not moved along a proper mating position with connector element 15. Thus, legs 13 act as guiding means to properly guide either of the connector elements into proper mating position with the other connector element secured within housing member H. The connector elements are held in position within housing members H by the frictional engagement between the connector elements in addition to stifiiy-flexible latching arms 11 to maintain them in position within the housing members.

In view of the fact that one of contactor elements 14 or 15 is held in a secured position within housing members H by means of securing members 18, it is possible to exchange the positions of the connector elements from housing member to housing member as desired to obtain a patch panel arrangement in accordance with selected circuit connections without the use of coaxial jack members having intermediate connectors to accomplish the same result. While the present invention has been described in relation to coaxial connector elements, other types of electrical connectors can, of course, be utilized to accomplish the intended purpose.

To remove a connecter element from its housing member, a suitable tool (not shown) is inserted within the housing member to depress springs 19 whereupon the connector element can be readily removed from the housing member upon a removal force being applied to the connector element.

In view of the foregoing, there has been disclosed a unique patch panel having insulative housing members removably disposed in openings therein, connector elements are removably secured within the housing members and latching arms are provided on the housing members in order to maintain other connector elements in mated connection with the connector'elements secured in the housing members.

It will, therefore, be appreciated that the aforementioned and other desirable objects have been achieved; however, it should be emphasized that the particular embodiments of the invention, which are shown and a described herein, are intended as merely illustrative and not as restrictive of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A co-ax patch panel comprising a panel member having openings therein, insulative housing members disposed within said openings, a flange and spaced projection means of said housing members to secure said housing members in position within the openings, an inner shoulder located on each housing member, an electrical connector element disposable within each housing member including means thereon to engage said inner shoulder to maintain said connector element in position within the housing member, another connector element matable with the first-mentioned connector element including a circumferential rim thereon, and stiffly-flexible spring latching arms integral with said housing members for latchingly engaging the circumferential rims of the other connector elements.

2. A housing member insertable within an opening of a panel member for carrying an electrical connector member matable with another connector member, said housing member comprising a tubular element of stifliyflexible material, a flange member at one end of said tubular element and projection means on said tubular element and spaced from said flange member to engage respective sides of said panel member to secure said tubular element in said opening, shoulder means of said tubular element adjacent the other end to provide a surface against which retaining means on the electrical connector engages to maintain the connector within the tubular element, and stifliy flexible arm, means extending from opening means in said tubular element and lying laterally adjacent said projection means for latching engagement with a section of the matable electrical connector when the same is mated with the housed electrical connector.

3. A housing member according to claim. 2 wherein guide means are disposed adjacent said arm members to guide the matable electrical connector into matable engagement with the housed electrical connector.

4. A housing member according to claim 2 wherein said projection means are located on stiffly-flexible sections of said tubular element, said stiffiy-flexible sections being depressable to permit said projection means to clear said opening so that said tubular element can be removed therefrom.

5. For use in an opening in a panel member to secure one connector member for matable engagement with another connector member, an insulative housing member comprising a tubular member having a flange at one end, stiffly-fiexible discrete sections in said tubular member having projections extending outwardly therefrom, said flange and said projections engaging respective sides of said panel member when said housing member is inserted into said opening to secure said housing member therewithin, shoulder means on an inner surface'of said tubular member adjacent the other end thereof, said shoulder means being engageable by a securing means on the one connector member to secure the connector member within the tubular member, and stifiiy-flexible arm means on said tubular member extending toward the one end thereof and between said sections for latching engagement with the other connector member when the same is mated with the one connector member.

6. A housing member insertable within an opening of a panel member for carrying an electrical connector member mateable with another connector member, said housing member comprising a tubular element of stifliy-flexible dielectrict material and having an entrance at one end through which said electrical connector is introduced the einto, means provided by said tubular element and said electrical connector for removably maintaining said electrical connector in position therein, stiffly-flexible sections extending outwardly from another end of said tubular element substantially parallel with respect to a longitudinal axis of said tubular element and for disposition within said opening, securing means on said stifiiy-flexible sections for engaging opposite sides of said panel member to secure said housing member in said opening, stifilyflexible latching arms extending outwardly from the said another end of said tubular element in the same direction as and between said sections and having free ends terminating within the confines of said securing means, and

means provided by said free ends for latchably engaging a 10 2869099 section of said other electrical connector when it is engaged with the housed electrical connector.

7. A housing member according to claim 6 wherein guide means are provided on said securing means in alignment with said latching arms for guiding the other electrical connector into engagement with the housed electrical connector.

8. A housing member according to claim 6 wherein said securing means includes flange means at the free ends of said sections to engage one surface of said panel member and projection means on said sections and spaced from said flange means to engage the other surface of said panel member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,234,745 3/1941 Von Rarrel 339-91 1/1959 Robinson 339-91 3,172,721 3/1965 Kelly 339- 217 15 age, E. Uberbacher, vol. 6, No. 5, October 1963, p. 59.

RICHARD E. MOORE, Primary Examiner. 

2. A HOUSING MEMBER INSERTABLE WITHIN AN OPENING OF A PANEL MEMBER FOR CARRYING AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR MEMBER MATABLE WITH ANOTHER CONNECTOR MEMBER, SAID HOUSING MEMBER COMPRISING A TUBULAR ELEMENT OF STIFFLYFLEXIBLE MATERIAL, A FLANGE MEMBER AT ONE END OF SAID TUBULAR ELEMENT AND PROJECTION MEANS ON SAID TUBULAR ELEMENT AND SPACED FROM SAID FLANGE MEMBER TO ENGAGE RESPECTIVE SIDES OF SAID PANEL MEMBER TO SECURE SAID TUBULAR ELEMENT IN SAID OPENING, SHOULDER MEANS OF SAID TUBULAR ELEMENT ADJACENT THE OTHER END TO PROVIDE A SURFACE AGAINST WHICH RETAINING MEANS ON THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ENGAGES TO MAINTAIN THE CONNECTOR WITHIN THE TUBULAR ELEMENT, AND STIFFLY-FLEXIBLE ARM, MEANS EXTENDING FROM OPENING MEANS IN SAID TUBULAR ELEMENT AND LYING LATERALLY ADJACENT SAID PROJECTION MEANS FOR LATCHING ENGAGEMENT WITH A SECTION OF THE MATABLE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR WHEN THE SAME IS MATED WITH THE HOUSED ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR. 